Ice
by Lady.Bronte
Summary: On the snow covered planet of Ice, even the most frigid of Vulcans can be warmed by the dazzlement of a smile.


As a coach, I have the opportunity to teach hundreds of young students each season. I was inspired to write this when I bent down to fix a little boy's helmet and found myself staring into the face of a boy who looked exactly like little Spock! Immediately a plot bunny slapped me on the face and this is what became of it all.

So here's a nice fluffy little story just in time for the holidays! I hope you like it! Please, please review!

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**_Ice_**

Iridescent twin suns shone like glittering stones in the pale lavender sky, bathing the wintery landscape in their brilliant, sunny rays. Sparkles twinkled playfully along every sundrenched surface, refracted by the icy white snow that covered the sprawling plains. Towering pine trees peppered the breathtaking scenery, casting unearthly shadows across the thick, snowy dunes. In the far-away distance, frozen stone peaks loomed in the coldness like motionless sentinels along the horizon, appearing to have been wistfully painted on the skies with pastel hues.

Trudging valiantly through the great expanse of snowy white banks, Jim Kirk absorbed the striking winter wonderland with wide, awestruck eyes; the mountainous peaks and the snow covered plains were exotic to him, having been brought up surrounded by the sandy straights of Iowa for most of his life. He dipped the tip of his cosy knitted glove into the delicate top snow as he walked passed an embankment and thrust the little pile up into the air, watching with smiling eyes as the tiny crystals reflected the bright sunlight like a disco ball. They threw little sparkles onto his face and jacket before falling back onto the ground, moulding innocently with the rest of the fallen snow.

He could not even remotely deny that the scenery surrounding him was beautiful; the emerald firs, the watercolour mountains and the crystal clear lavender skies were utterly breathtaking in his eyes. He could feel his entire essence pulsating with excitement at the exhilarating experiment stretching out just ahead of him – but the real challenge was the man staggering behind him in the snow, flummoxed in a petulant, irritated stupor.

Spock shivered unconsciously, ignoring the sparkle of mischief in Jim's cerulean eyes as he gazed back at him over his down-covered shoulder. Spock had already given up an afternoon of warmth on the Enterprise to endure this frozen wilderness with his captain, and he wasn't about to submit in making snowmen or getting pounced on. The frigid chill was almost slightly more than he could bear with a curious disposition and so most of the landscape was passing unnoticed by Spock's onyx eyes; he had his gaze trained on one thing, which was the heavy duffel bag his captain was trudging along with him. _Some perilous escapade is hiding in that bag,_ he decided jadedly, huffing silently to himself in suppressed foreboding.

"Almost there!" Jim called out with excitement, nearly soaring over the next snow drift with enthusiasm. He had _always_ wanted to try this; the moment Admiral Pike had ordered him to the planet _Ice_ for political negotiations with the local snow-doting race, Jim had tracked down two pairs of the ancient sport equipment now in his bag in hopes that he would get a free afternoon to try them.

Negotiations had gone beautifully with the minuscule race of humanoids, their red cheeks glowing like fiery embers when Jim told them of his plan. They eagerly described the directions to their most prized destination and with a grateful thank you, Jim returned with his half frozen first officer to the Enterprise.

"Hey Spock," Jim had drawled with a wily grin, popping up out of nowhere beside the striking Vulcan as they were walking towards the deck where their respective quarters resided, "I have a proposition."

"Enlighten me," Spock replied dryly, still shivering from the glacial, inhospitable environment of the planet.

"Lighten up Spock!" Jim replied cheerfully, gently knocking the Vulcan on the arm with his fist. Spock had become more than used to the captain's constant need for contact and no longer felt animosity towards the frequent handling; in fact, he felt somewhat endeared to know that the human was conscious enough to always touch him on his arm or shoulder, knowing fully that skin to skin contact was insanely uncomfortable for him.

"Would you like to go on an adventure with me?" Jim continued, jostling Spock from his quick reverie. His left eyebrow piqued, urging Jim to continue, "The locals told me of a really special site near their town and urged me to visit it and I figured you'd like to come along with me, you know, for the science of course."

Spock frowned minutely and weighed his options. He desperately wanted to decline but the fervent gleam in those cerulean eyes urged him otherwise, "I suppose I can accompany you. I do not trust you to come back in succinct health if you were to venture alone."

"Yes!" Jim exclaimed happily, clapping the Vulcan lightly on the shoulder, "Meet me at transporter two at 1400 hours." Jim bounded away with a spring in his step, looking over his shoulder at Spock's retreating figure, "This is going to be awesome!"

Spock couldn't agree less.

Now Spock was freezing to the point that his Vulcan steady was being challenged; he was irritable and slightly petulant as he grudgingly trudged through the heavy, thick snow and he hoped that this adventure would be finished sooner rather than later, preferably in the next few minutes.

A few metres ahead, Jim burst through a thicket of emerald firs and stood in breathless shock; the most beautiful, picturesque scene he had ever had the opportunity to perceive burst like tendrils from his feet in every direction, sprawling for miles and miles before his eyes. The Gemini suns startled him with their magnificence as they bore down upon the glittering image, stealing from him every mouthful of air that had been in his lungs. He gasped and stared eagerly, fervently devouring every detail of the winter landscape with his starving eyes.

Spock stepped out of the cluster of evergreen fir trees a moment later and nearly collided with Jim's astounded body, bumping lightly into his back instead. Muttering a testy apology, he took his place beside his captain and brought his charcoal eyes upwards, widening them in bewilderment.

The two staggered men were at a standstill on the brink of a sprawling silver lake that glittering complacently in the radiant, pure sunlight. The ice was perfectly clear and flawless; Jim could see his own astounded reflection in the sterling ice as if he were looking into a glass. There was an island of firs in the middle of the lake, scintillating in the dazzling light like jade rubies in the night. The trees moved in the non-existent breeze, almost as if they were part of an elaborate animation; the snow that covered the shores shimmered in a similar fashion, leaving both the captain and his glacial first officer utterly breathless.

"It is..." Spock began, his voice catching in his throat. Every ounce of his poor disposition had evaporated at the stunning sight of the panorama before him, warming his frigid core with immense fascination.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Jim replied with the same awe that littered Spock's field of vision, drawing the Vulcan away to go explore the overwhelming scenery. Instead, a gloved hand gripped his bicep fervently and Spock spun around, meeting the captain's brilliant azure eyes, "I brought something that might help you explore with more efficiency," Jim said eagerly, dumping the two pairs of skates he had kept hidden in his duffel bag.

Spock's eyebrows shot past his hairline and possibly back into space.

"They're for transportation Spock," Jim assured hastily, somewhat startled by the look on Spock's face, "You strap them on your feet and they allow you to glide over the ice. You can do little tricks and stuff with them on too," Jim said with a grin, picking up the larger pair by its shoestrings, "This pair is for you."

"I don't-"

"I already checked your shoe size. I snuck into you quarters yesterday and found your shoes."

"You entered my quarters without my permission?"

"Oh don't get all modest with me Spock. I didn't go snooping around looking for porn or anything."

"I am unfamiliar with-"

"Shut up Spock," Jim said with a winning grin. Spock did what he was told, compelled by the splendour of his smile, "Now put these skates on before I hold you down and put them on for you."

Jim led them to a small bench made from the trunk of an elderly fir tree right at the rim of the sparkling lake. The trunk had been sawed in half and propped up by two smaller beams, creating a perfect place to sit down and tie the laces of their skates. Jim sat down first and quickly kicked off one of his winter boots, enthusiastically sliding the skate onto his foot and fastening the laces. Spock sat down beside him and tried his best to duplicate Jim's actions but found his fingers too frozen to comply. He fumbled irritably with the laces until he noticed the bright blues of Jim's eyes gazing at him in amusement, a small, endearing smile playing on his handsome features.

"Need some help?" he said lightly, getting up from his perch upon the worn bench. He faltered slightly as he took a step forward in the blade bottomed boots and quickly righted himself on Spock's firm shoulder. Jim's ungloved fingers brushed against Spock's unblemished cheek for a brief moment in time before gripping the strong muscles of his deltoid and he was instantly ambushed with a colourful orchestra of contentment, anticipation and warmth. Spock attempted to shuffle the sudden swell of sentiment in his core back into oblivion but the echo of Jim's passion remained, rushing through his frigid nervous system with wild abandonment.

Jim took his hand off Spock's shoulder and sat down upon the winter snow, taking one of Spock's unlaced skates into his lap. He tied them up methodically, tightening the laces near his freezing toes first and moving up towards his ankle, "Too tight?" Jim asked, looking up at Spock with a curious grin. It was the first time he had tied anyone's skates and he was curious to know if he was doing it right.

"It is suitable." Spock replied, wiggling his toes in an attempt to free them from the numbing sensation that was overtaking them. He watched Jim nod and finish tying the skate with a swooping bow, taking the hem of Spock's snow pants and fitting it snugly over top of the boot in order to keep the cold from sneaking in. Spock watched in absorption as Jim grabbed the other skate and begun the same systematic process, captivated by the tuck and pull of his calloused, butterscotch fingers. His eyes travelled upwards to Jim's tousled mane of golden hair, bent forward so that the crown of his dishevelled locks was visible. The individual strands of his messy blond hair glittered brilliantly in the combined sunlight of the bisolar sky, nearly causing his tresses to be as dazzling as the shimmering snow around them. He held his breath as Jim withdrew his fingers from the hem of his snow pants and got to his feet, a triumphant grin plastered on his flushed, glowing face.

"Come on Spock! We've got some exploring to do," Jim said, putting an almost ironic emphasis on 'exploring'. Spock, still unable to shake the slightly emotional veil that had fallen over him, got to his feet and grimaced slightly, eyeing the crystal clear ice with trepidation.

"This activity is safe I presume?" Spock muttered apprehensively, glancing sidelong at the smirking human beside him. Jim stepped onto the ice and wobbled slightly, catching his balance with ease.

"Of course it's safe," Jim said cheerfully, "When have I been known to do anything dangerous?"

Spock decided not to comment on that declaration and stepped onto the ice instead, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. He was startled by the feeling of the ground sliding away beneath him and he lurched in reverse, gracelessly falling backwards onto his haunches.

Jim exploded in laughter, "I have been waiting my entire captaincy for this moment!" Jim chortled, gliding forwards towards the fallen Vulcan. Spock's face turned an embarrassed shade of green and he attempted to clamber to his feet, only to slide back onto his rear yet again. He flipped himself onto his knees and slammed one of his blades into the ice in a humiliated attempt to gain some leverage and get back onto his feet.

"Here."

A gloved hand materialized in front of his face and Spock glowered at it resentfully, following the line of Jim's fingers and up his arm to the golden glow of the visage staring down at him with an apologetic half smile. Bearing in mind the logical choice, he grabbed the hand, albeit grudgingly, and heaved himself upright; he steadied himself with the sturdy presence of the youthful human beside him and spread his feet apart slightly, creating a secure base in which to balance by himself. He felt the embarrassment slip from his cheeks as he got a hold of himself and took a wary step forward, still grasping onto the man beside him for support. He was oblivious of course to the smiling cerulean eyes that watched him as he gained his ground, gripping onto him so that the Vulcan wouldn't crash to the ground again. After a minute or two, Jim slowly let go of his focussed first officer and dragged his eyes down the lines of his body, smothered in warm, fleecy clothing. He grinned as Spock finally got the hang of it and began to take larger strides across the flawless surface, using the inside edge of his blade to thrust himself forward with more momentum. Jim fought to catch up after watching him skate away and bent his body low, taking slow, powerful strides like the ones he had seen in hockey films.

"Got the hang of it now?" Jim said, gliding beside the Vulcan with a subtle smile. Spock kept his eyes glued to the shimmering silver surface of the water, eyeing it suspiciously.

"I believe this ice is significantly emaciated and is therefore unsafe," Spock replied thinly, his voice barely carrying through the chilly air. Jim detected a hint of worry in the way his first officer had furrowed his eyebrows and decided not to take any chances.

"Then let's go this way," Jim replied, pointing over towards the island in the middle of the lake, "The locals here call it the Sacred Isle. They told me that on certain days, snow spirits from the island come out to skate with the natives on the lake and partake in their skating contests and games."

"Fascinating," Spock replied wryly, feeling himself falter again. He grasped the closest thing to him, his captain, and held on for dear life.

Jim laughed and gazed downwards at the gracelessly fumbling Vulcan whose lengthy legs had knotted beneath him, "I'll help you. Hang on."

Jim reached his arm around the Vulcan's waist and hoisted him upwards, propping Spock's upper body against his own; he wasn't even conscious of the Vulcan's proximity to his own, his mind only on helping the incapable skater get his legs again. Spock gathered his tangled limbs beneath him and steadied himself once again, an actual visible grimace of concentration forming on his face. Jim's eyebrows nearly burst from the confines of his forehead but he didn't say a word, not wanting to scare the Vulcan's reclusive emotions back into their proverbial shell.

Spock spread his legs further apart and shuffled forwards cautiously, still relying on Jim's stability to keep him upright. He clung to him as they slowly ventured forwards, purposely ignoring his uncharacteristic behaviour; he compromised with himself by confirming that this was his captain's punishment for forcing him to put on these archaic transport devices. He glanced fleetingly at his captain and tried to disregard the burning in his cheeks at the captain's chirpy grin, beaming brightly at Spock's clumsiness.

"I take it that you've never played any winter sports before?" Jim asked playfully, still clinging onto the Vulcan in hopes of keeping him on his feet. Spock was jostled out of his thoughts and stumbled slightly again but was balanced by the grinning human.

"You are correct in that assumption," Spock replied through gritted teeth, keeping his eyes on the wayward ice with growing consternation.

"Do you do any sports at all?"

"I disincline to participate in all activities that are inefficient in productivity."

Jim frowned slightly, "What makes you think that sports are unproductive?"

"They do not provide an increase in intelligence, only in physical prowess."

Jim laughed out loud and shook his head minutely, stunned by his first officer's response, "Sport takes an immense amount of intellect Spock! It involves strategy and team work and all sorts of other skills that you can't achieve from the outside world."

"I do not grasp your concept."

Jim sighed, "You're using your brain right now aren't you? You're thinking about balance and how best to stay on your feet and how best to fall. You're thinking about injury prevention and stability and all sorts of things."

"_This_ is not a sport Jim."

"Skating is totally a sport! It's a physical activity isn't it? You're using all of your muscles and tendons and all your psychological functions too."

"I still fail to understand-"

"Sports provide an insane amount of skills and attributes that you can't even imagine Spock. You learn how to be part of a team, you learn how to rely on each other and most of all, you get the opportunity to forge friendships with your comrades that are so strong they can't ever be broken."

Spock paused to consider this, "Are you insinuating that right now, I am developing a skill set that better enables me to rely on others and be a part of a team?"

"Exactly!"

"Then you are also insinuating that we are presently forging a friendship so powerful that it is essentially unbreakable."

Jim skid to a halt and stared out in front of him passively, gently furrowing his eyebrows in thought. Spock grappled upwards and quickly disengaged himself from his captain, feeling somewhat uncertain after his brash declaration. He steadied himself and pulled himself into the most dignified position he could manage on the archaic skates, avoiding the captain's oceanic eyes and watching the lines of his body instead. _His thoughts will project themselves through the movements of his body_, Spock advised himself silently, watching the curl of Jim's down covered shoulders and the gentle sway of molten gold upon his brow. Jim's mitted hands hung softly at his sides and the muscles in his powerful legs were relaxed in concentration, pulsating with energy and strength. His face was strangely thoughtful and his eyes were considerably closed in mid thought; little plumes of warm air escaped through the pale arch of his parted lips, coiling into translucent phantoms before vanishing into the atmosphere. Spock watched the measured rise and fall of his chest, waiting in cumbersome anticipation for Jim's final verdict.

"You know Spock," Jim finally said, a hint of a smile curling on his lips, "If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were trying to hit on me," Jim laughed out loud and turned back to Spock with a harebrained grin, "But I know you a little more than that."

Jim glided out in front of Spock and skidded backwards, coming to a stop facing the stunned Vulcan. He smiled at Spock's confusion and cocked his head a little to the side, "We've been friends all along Spock, that's why I asked you to come with me. It's about time you figured it out." Jim held out his hand and Spock grabbed his wrist cautiously, allowing himself to be towed behind the gliding youth, "For a Vulcan Spock," Jim grinned over his shoulder, "You can be pretty dense."

With a whooping laugh from Jim's joyful lips, the two men skated off towards the Sacred Isle.

'_Strange creatures'_, a small spectre said wordlessly, its elusive form hidden within the glittering firs, _'Do you suppose they're lovers?'_

The shimmering snow stirred gracefully as a zephyr woke it from its reverie, _'I don't suppose so. They seem to be holding back.'_

'_Well I think they are,'_ the spirit of the firs replied, watching candidly as the blond figure tripped over his toes and fell forwards, taking the pale man behind him down with him. The Vulcan landed on top of the human and seemed stunned into silence, his emotions still getting the best of him as he stared only inches away from the human's sapphire eyes. Jim laughed wholeheartedly and the two of them laid there on the sterling ice in a pile of tangled limbs and laughing eyes, enjoying the honest moment of amusement. Spock allowed a ghost of a smile to grace his pallid lips and attempted to extricate his limbs but found it impossible with the chortling blond beneath him and finally collapsed beside him, lying on the cool ice with the warmest feeling Spock had felt in his soul for a long, _long_ time.

The Sacred Isle shone innocently in the light and Jim Kirk smiled like an idiot, swathing himself in the tender rays of the sun. The brilliance of his broad grin rivalled that of the radiant sunbeams and Spock couldn't help but come to some sort of scientific conclusion.

He was beginning to like his study of _Ice_.

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Thank you for reading guys! Please review!

Love and fluff,

Brontë


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